Baoding Ball System

ABSTRACT

A Baoding ball system has a first ball, and the first ball is a Baoding ball that has ferrous content. Also, a second ball is included and the second ball is a Baoding ball that has ferrous content. A first magnetic connection member is disposed between the first ball and the second ball. The first magnetic connection member includes a first magnetic connection member first magnet that magnetically connects the first ball to the second ball. The first magnetic connection member first magnet has an exterior plastic covering over a magnetic core of the first magnetic connection member first magnet. The first magnetic connection member optionally has a first magnetic connection member second magnet magnetically connected to the second ball.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is in the field of Baoding balls.

DISCUSSION OF RELATED ART

Baoding balls have been used for improving manual dexterity of the hand and can be used for training hand coordination. Traditionally, a pair of Baoding balls is held in a hand for various hand exercises. Baoding balls in medium-size can be about 1½ inches in diameter and oftentimes made of hollow metal or stone.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A Baoding ball system has a first ball, and the first ball is a Baoding ball that has ferrous content. Also, a second ball is included and the second ball is a Baoding ball that has ferrous content. A first magnetic connection member is disposed between the first ball and the second ball. The first magnetic connection member includes a first magnetic connection member first magnet that magnetically connects the first ball to the second ball. The first magnetic connection member first magnet has an exterior plastic covering over a magnetic core of the first magnetic connection member first magnet.

The first magnetic connection member optionally has a first magnetic connection member second magnet magnetically connected to the second ball, and the first magnetic connection member first magnet can be magnetically connected to the first ball. The first magnetic connection member first magnet and the first magnetic connection member second magnet are both magnetically adhered between the first and second ball.

The first magnetic connection member first magnet has a first shell section and a second shell section. The first shell section and the second shell section are joined at a midline parallel to a plane formed by a flat portion of a disc shape of the first magnetic connection member first magnet.

The first magnetic connection member first magnet has a first shell section and a second shell section. The third ball can be a Baoding ball that has ferrous content, and may have a second magnetic connection member disposed between the first ball and the third ball and a third magnetic connection member can be disposed between the second ball and the third ball. The first magnetic connection member second magnet has a second magnet first shell section and second magnet second shell section that are joined together to encapsulate a magnetic core of the first magnetic connection member second magnet.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an assembled view of the present invention in double ball mode.

FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the present invention in double ball mode.

FIG. 3 is an assembled view of the present invention in triple ball mode.

FIG. 4 is a cross-section diagram of an internally magnetized ball.

The following call out list of elements is a useful guide in referencing the elements of the drawings.

-   21 First Ball -   22 Second Ball -   23 Third Ball -   30 First Magnetic Connection Member -   33 Central Magnet -   41 First Magnet -   42 Second Magnet -   31 First Magnet First Shell Section -   32 First Magnet Second Shell Section -   34 Second Magnet First Shell Section -   35 Second Magnet Second Shell Section -   51 Second Magnetic Connection Member -   52 Third Magnetic Connection Member -   61 Internally Mounted Magnetic Connection Members -   62 Hollow Portion Of The Ball -   63 Plastic Coating -   64 Chime Spring -   65 Magnetized Ball Shell

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The present invention shows a first Baoding ball 21 and a second Baoding ball 22, also called an exercise ball. These balls can be sized to traditional and current industry standard specifications in diameter, width and weight. The balls are spheres which are preferably metallic, but sometimes can be made from polished stone. When the balls are metallic, they are typically hollow and have an iron spring inside for producing a chime during rotation.

The pair of balls can be connected by a first magnetic connection member 30. The magnetic connection member can be formed as a laminate having a variety of different types of magnets connected together by magnetism.

A central magnet 33 can be used to connect between a pair of magnets, namely the first magnet 41 and the second magnet 42. The first magnet 41 preferably has a magnetic core material that is encapsulated inside a plastic outer covering. The plastic outer covering preferably has a pair of shell sections and are joined to seal the magnetic core material. The first magnet first shell section 31 faces toward the first ball 21 and the first magnet second shell section 32 faces toward the second ball 22. The shell sections can be joined together by sonic welding or by having been injection molded together.

By having a variety of modes of operation, the distance between the balls can be adjusted incrementally. In a first mode of operation, the user inserts only the first magnet between the first ball the second ball. The preferably polyethylene plastic outer covering formed out of the pair of shell sections allows the first ball to slide relative to the second ball.

In a second mode of operation, the user inserts only the first magnet and the second magnet between the pair of balls. The second magnet may also have a similar construction as the first magnet. The second magnet may have a second magnet first shell section 34 and the second magnet may have a second magnet second shell section 35 that are joined together to encapsulate a magnetic core. The disc shaped preferably polyethylene or polypropylene surface of the second magnet second shell section 35 abuts the second ball 22.

During use, the polyolefin such as polyethylene surface of the first magnet can be used for adhering the pair of balls together while still allowing rotation and slippage between the magnet and the ball during a variety of exercises. The magnet is configured to rotate relative to the ball and slip relative to the ball depending upon the hand exercise engaged in.

In a three ball configuration, the second magnetic connection member 51 and the third magnetic connection member 52 can allow connection between a first ball 21, a second ball 22 and a third ball 23. The second magnetic connection member is shown as having only a first magnet and the third magnetic connection member is shown as having only a first magnet. The angle between the balls can be approximately 120°, or as adjusted by the user.

The strength of the magnets is such that a user can release and reattach the connection between the balls. During use, the user can use the magnets to assist the user in learning how to perform a variety of Baoding ball maneuvers. After a user has become proficient in the Baoding balls, the user may remove one or more magnets and use the balls in the traditional manner. Then the user may also connect two or three balls together with the magnets to provide a wider range of available tricks.

The magnetic connection members can be made as internally mounted magnetic connection members 61. The internally mounted magnetic connection member 61 can be secured by magnetic attraction to the sidewall, or by glue. They can also be floating free. The Baoding balls optionally can be magnetized internally by including magnetic material within the ferrous structure of the ball. The shell structure of the ball can be made with magnetic impregnated material within the ferrous structure to make a magnetized ball shell 65. When the ball is magnetized or made up of magnetized material, a coating can be applied to the outside to provide environmental resistance. A plastic such as a polyethylene coating 63 over the metal spherical housing of the sphere or ball can provide lower friction to allow more tricks. Optionally, a traditional chime spring 64 can be inserted into the hollow portion 62 of the ball.

It is also possible to have a construction where the pair of Baoding Balls are connected together by the central magnet only and omitting the first magnetic connection member and the second magnetic connection member. The central magnet can be formed as a magnet covered in a steel shell, or formed as raw magnetic material.

The foregoing describes the preferred embodiments of the invention. Modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the following claims. The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, but encompasses any and all embodiments within the scope of the following claims. For ease of reference, a call out list of elements is provided below. 

1. A Baoding ball system comprising: a. a first ball, wherein the first ball is a Baoding ball that has ferrous content; b. a second ball, wherein the second ball is a Baoding ball that has ferrous content; c. a first magnetic connection member disposed to attract the first ball to the second ball, wherein the first magnetic connection member comprises a first magnetic connection member first magnet that magnetically connects the first ball to the second ball, wherein the first magnetic connection member first magnet has an exterior plastic covering over a magnetic core of the first magnetic connection member first magnet.
 2. The Baoding ball system of claim 1, wherein the first magnetic connection member further comprises a first magnetic connection member second magnet magnetically connected to the second ball, wherein the first magnetic connection member first magnet is magnetically connected to the first ball, wherein the first magnetic connection member first magnet and the first magnetic connection member second magnet are both magnetically adhered between the first and second ball.
 3. The Baoding ball system of claim 1, wherein the first magnetic connection member first magnet has a first shell section and a second shell section, wherein the first shell section and the second shell section are joined at a midline parallel to a plane formed by a flat portion of a disc shape of the first magnetic connection member first magnet.
 4. The Baoding ball system of claim 1, wherein the first magnetic connection member first magnet has a first shell section and a second shell section.
 5. The Baoding ball system of claim 1, further comprising a third ball, wherein the third ball is a Baoding ball that has ferrous content, and further comprising a second magnetic connection member disposed between the first ball and the third ball and a third magnetic connection member disposed between the second ball and the third ball.
 6. A Baoding ball system comprising: a. a first ball, wherein the first ball is a Baoding ball that has ferrous content; b. a second ball, wherein the second ball is a Baoding ball that has ferrous content; c. a first magnetic connection member disposed between the first ball and the second ball, wherein the first magnetic connection member comprises a first magnetic connection member first magnet that magnetically connects the first ball to the second ball, wherein the first magnetic connection member first magnet has an exterior plastic covering over a magnetic core of the first magnetic connection member first magnet; and wherein the first magnetic connection member further comprises a first magnetic connection member second magnet magnetically connected to the second ball, wherein the first magnetic connection member first magnet is magnetically connected to the first ball, wherein the first magnetic connection member first magnet and the first magnetic connection member second magnet are both magnetically adhered between the first and second ball, wherein the first magnetic connection member first magnet has a first shell section and a second shell section, wherein the first shell section and the second shell section are joined at a midline parallel to a plane formed by a flat portion of a disc shape of the first magnetic connection member first magnet.
 7. The Baoding ball system of claim 6, further comprising a third ball, wherein the third ball is a Baoding ball that has ferrous content, and further comprising a second magnetic connection member disposed between the first ball and the third ball and a third magnetic connection member disposed between the second ball and the third ball.
 8. The Baoding ball system of claim 6, wherein the first magnetic connection member second magnet has a second magnet first shell section and second magnet second shell section that are joined together to encapsulate a magnetic core of the first magnetic connection member second magnet.
 9. The Baoding ball system of claim 8, further comprising a third ball, wherein the third ball is a Baoding ball that has ferrous content, and further comprising a second magnetic connection member disposed between the first ball and the third ball and a third magnetic connection member disposed between the second ball and the third ball.
 10. A Baoding ball system comprising: a. a first ball, wherein the first ball is a Baoding ball that has ferrous content; b. a second ball, wherein the second ball is a Baoding ball that has ferrous content; c. a first magnetic connection member disposed inside the first ball and attracting to the second ball, wherein the first magnetic connection member comprises a first magnetic connection member first magnet that magnetically connects the first ball to the second ball, wherein the first magnetic connection member first magnet has an exterior plastic covering over a magnetic core of the first magnetic connection member first magnet, wherein the first magnetic connection member is internally mounted.
 11. The Baoding ball system of claim 10, wherein the first ball further comprises a magnetized ball shell.
 12. The Baoding ball system of claim 10, wherein the first ball further comprises a plastic coating over an exterior surface of the first ball.
 13. The Baoding ball system of claim 10, wherein the first ball further includes a chime spring inserted into a hollow portion of the first ball. 